Chapter 34: Difficult to Live, Easy to Kill
Feng Xu's arrival was like a stone breaking through the ice. The lake was still calm, but through the holes in the ice, one could see the undercurrent surging underwater.
After seeing Feng Xu off, Qiu Xuan sat alone in the flower hall for a long time.
Jing Youzhen wanted to persuade her, but was pulled away by Feifei.
Feifei even wanted her nanny to send Qiuxuan to the Princess's Mansion to stay for a few days.
Qiu Xuan declined Feifei's suggestion and reminded the maids that they could not leave Feifei's side at this time.
The eldest princess probably doesn't even know that it was the old lady who reported the secret to the emperor.
Qiuxuan stood up and walked out.
Gan Tang was squatting in the yard watching the ants moving. When he heard Qiu Xuan coming out, he hurriedly followed them.
"Where is your wife going?"
"I don't know yet." Qiu Xuan murmured.
"I go wherever my wife goes."
Gan Tang stepped briskly over the puddles on the ground, like a low-flying dragonfly.
"Madam, why...why are you here?"
Zhemei was very surprised to see Qiuxuan.
"I want to see the old lady."
Qiuxuan found it quite amusing to see Zhemei's timidity the first time she saw her.
"Madam, you must talk to the old lady properly," Zhemei advised, "please don't start a fight."
Qiuxuan smiled and didn't say anything good or bad.
"Let Gan Tang wait with you outside."
Qiuxuan pushed open the door.
The old lady sat at the desk, holding the imperial edict in her hand.
When she saw Qiuxuan come in, she didn't say anything and pointed to the embroidery cushion opposite her.
"If you want tea, pour it yourself."
"Aren't you surprised that I came to see you?"
Nangong Shao smiled: "You haven't regressed to that point yet."
As she spoke, she opened the imperial edict.
"This is utterly inappropriate," she murmured. "When I was the Grand Chamberlain, if anyone had drafted such an imperial edict, I would have punished him."
She threw the imperial edict onto the table.
"Ask whatever you want to ask."
"Why did the Queen take action at that time?"
"Because of the rumor, the emperor wants to use his own children to make elixirs." Nangong Shao looked at Qiu Xuan, "It's incredible, isn't it?"
Qiu Xuan nodded slightly.
"In fact, the witches only brought some specious things from outside the palace."
"Add to that the palace maids' groundless accusations and rumors. If I give even the slightest hint, the Queen will be unbearable."
"At that time, His Majesty had already driven the First and Second Princes out of the capital." Qiu Xuan said softly.
Nangong Shao smiled. "Yes, the Queen was afraid that the witch would really convince His Majesty, and was even more afraid that the witch would openly murder the heir in His Majesty's name. You have to know that no one in the palace had been pregnant for a long time at that time."
"I thought it was because His Majesty was concentrating on cultivation and not entering." Qiu Xuan whispered.
"Oh. You're right to think so." Nangong Shao said quietly, "But this also proves that Wu Zhuang is very capable. She can control the desires of His Majesty and thus the lives of the court officials."
"What is Wuzhuang's purpose?" Qiu Xuan asked.
Nangong Shao shook his head: "I don't know, but it's nothing more than a struggle for power and profit."
She glanced at the imperial edict again: "The imperial edict issued today is proof of this."
"Do you mean that Wu Zhuang wants to take action against the Fourth Prince now?" Qiu Xuan asked.
"Yes, it seems that you have thought it through clearly." Nangong Shao agreed with Qiu Xuan's guess.
"In her opinion, the Yunyang Marquisate is on the decline. Once I die, there will be nothing left." Nangong Shao coughed twice.
"But Jing Beian has returned and has become the Fourth Prince's confidant."
"Wu Zhuang wouldn't want to see the Yunyang Marquisate fall to the Fourth Prince after my death. That's why they have to bring this matter to light now."
"Empress Lu's death is related to you. The Princess will definitely not let you go. And..."
Qiu Xuan adjusted her breathing so that her voice would no longer tremble.
"Wu Zhuang seems to be implying that my family is also because of you."
"Just think of it as me doing it."
Qiu Xuan felt very annoyed. She hated this kind of ambiguous answer.
"Is it really you?"
Nangong Shao looked at Qiu Xuan like an elder looking at a studious junior.
“Wu Zhuang asked me if His Majesty would regret it after the Queen’s death and when he calmed down.
I said, let Qiu Yun go and plead for mercy."
This undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. Qiu Xuan clenched his fists. His grandfather had taken on the emperor's anger that had nowhere to vent.
She took a few deep breaths and forced herself to calm down.
"Are you saying that it was Wu Zhuang who hinted to my grandfather to plead for mercy?"
She always thought it was because her grandfather was an upright man.
"I didn't know about that," Nangong Shao admitted. "It wasn't until your grandfather died that I realized how far Wu Zhuang's influence had stretched. Before, I always thought I was the only one in the court who was threatened by her."
"Why did you leave me in Dadu?" Qiu Xuan couldn't help but ask, "If the Qiu family members all died in the north, I think you can rest assured."
"Heh." Nangong Shao laughed out loud, "Girl, don't think the court is so simple. Wu Zhuang can cover the sky with one hand now, but it doesn't mean that he can be above everyone else in the future."
"And you," Nangong Shao looked at Qiu Xuan, "I think, if it were you, even if you were exiled to the north and suffered, one day you would fight your way back to Dadu."
Nangong Shao closed his eyes tiredly.
"I'm just leaving a way out for my children."
"Or leave a hostage?" Qiu Xuan said softly.
"If it was your sister, she would probably be a hostage." Nangong Shao showed a faint smile.
"If you want justice for the Qiu family, it would be more convenient to stay in Dadu than in the North. Consider it a bargaining chip between you and me. Every wrong has its perpetrator, so please let my two children go."
"I didn't intend to do anything to the Marquis' Mansion." Qiu Xuan retorted.
"I want to leave the Marquis' Mansion."
"Now?" Nangong Shao shook his head. "Even if I let you go now, who can you rely on? The eldest princess? The fourth prince?"
Nangong Shao continued to persuade him, "You'an's concubine is pregnant. When the child is born, I will pass it on to you and submit a petition to His Highness to confer upon you the title of Lord Yunyang, with food and fiefdoms, rather than being a mere concubine of the Marquis of Yunyang."
"From now on, the entire Yunyang Marquis Mansion will be yours."
"What do I need Yunyang Marquis's Mansion for? I want my own home." Qiu Xuan stood up. "So what if Yunyang Jun is the boss? It's all up to the emperor to decide."
"You can take your time to think about it." Nangong Shao turned a deaf ear to Qiu Xuan's anger, "Take your time to think about it."
"Then I'll take my leave."
Qiu Xuan turned to leave, and Nangong Shao spoke again:
"Aren't you curious why I want to help Wu Zhuang?"
Qiu Xuan patiently turned around.
"Because I believe in her." Nangong Shao looked at the shrine in the house, on which were placed the tablets of her eldest son and husband.
"I believe she cursed my son, I believe she cursed my family, I believe she will do the same to my remaining children."
"Now, I finally don't need to worry anymore."
Nangong Shao coughed violently, blood gushed out of her mouth, and soon soaked her clothes.
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